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Biosimilars/General

Biosimilars V13E10

Biosimilars approved in Europe

Biosimilars/General | Posted 08/07/2011

Last update: 22 April 2025

In the European Union (EU), a legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2003. This framework means that biosimilars can only be approved centrally via the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and not nationally.

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Stelara biosimilars enter US market with 85% discount in 2025

Biosimilars/General | Posted 28/03/2025

In February 2025, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Alvotech announced the availability of Selardsi (ustekinumab-aekn) in the US, followed by Sandoz’s Pyzchiva (ustekinumab-ttwe). These two products are biosimilars to the originator drug, Johnson & Johnson’s Stelara (ustekinumab). 

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Biosimilars approved in Canada

Biosimilars/General | Posted 31/01/2014

Last update: 28 March 2025

In Canada, the regulatory body for the approval of biologicals is the Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate (BGTD) of the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) of Health Canada.

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IFPMA publishes position on pharmacy-mediated substitution for biosimilars

Biosimilars/General | Posted 21/03/2025

In January 2025, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) published a position paper, ‘Pharmacy-mediated substitution for biosimilars’.

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The ustekinumab shift: biosimilars displace Stelara’s market leadership

Biosimilars/General | Posted 12/03/2025

The ustekinumab market is heating up as biosimilar developers aggressively challenge the dominance of Stelara, Johnson & Johnson’s blockbuster drug for autoimmune diseases. With eight biosimilars approved in Europe and seven in the US, the competition is fierce, and the stakes are high. 

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Brazilian law establishes December 16 as National Biosimilar Day

Biosimilars/General | Posted 05/03/2025

On 6 January 2025, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sanctioned Law 15.087/25, officially declaring December 16 as National Biosimilar Drug Day in Brazil. The law, published in the Official Gazette of the Union, aims to raise awareness about the importance of biosimilars in the healthcare system.

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Biosimilars approved in the US

Biosimilars/General | Posted 14/08/2015

Last update: 25 February 2025

In the US, a legal framework for approving biosimilars was established in 2009, via the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (BPCI Act).

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Biologicals and biosimilars available for IBD in Canada

Biosimilars/General | Posted 26/11/2024

The GI Society (Canadian Society of Intestinal Research) recently published an updated list of originator biologicals and biosimilars used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), specifically Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), in Canada.

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Biosimilar medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Australia

Biosimilars/General | Posted 20/11/2024

In recent years, biosimilar medicines have gained increased support and access in Australia through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), a government programme designed to subsidize essential medicines and make them affordable for all Australians. Biosimilars are versions of original biological medicines that are highly similar in terms of quality, safety, and efficacy but are generally more affordable.

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SBR issues consensus on interchangeability of reference products and biosimilars

Biosimilars/General | Posted 13/11/2024

On 25 September 2024, the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology (Sociedade Brasileira de Reumatologia, SBR) shared its position and consensus on the interchangeability between reference products and biosimilars, a topic of great importance for clinical practice, especially in light of recent regulatory developments by Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency, ANVISA (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, ANVISA) and other international authorities.